Back with the Living
09 Mar 2024Evoflash
The haul back...
I forgot how to move far, fast. My life for the last few years has been a long, relaxing swing through the black. So when the call-to-arms came out last month across the galaxy to get back and fight the Titans with everything we've got I found myself roused from a deep sleep, alarms going off, a dry mouth and a feeling like I was fifteen and didn't know my ass from my elbow. Thing is, it's been a long time since I flew anything other than an exobiology ship. I'm rusty, and I'm lacking in skill. Truth be told (and keep this between us)....I'm a bit frightened. I'm older now. I'm not a young buck any more. Safe to say I wasn't sure I would be up to it.
Hot coffee, stick of Concha Renibus Jerky (it's unbelievably good - I dry it in the FSD room) and I got my ass hauling to the bubble, Shinney Dezh.
I forgot the lights and the noise. Damn the noise. Sure I've been on and off FC Ithaca but there's nothing like the hustle of a Coriolis Station. People busy, people selling, buying, looking for a helping hand or worse....
First thing I did...hit the bar for a cold one. Sitting there I read up on the latest ships and weapons that folks here had been hitting the thargs with. I caught up with a couple of ship builders and had me signed up a new AX Krait. Next day was spent engineering it, and sorting out the fancy-dan new spangly AX equipment. To get it I had to visit a rescue ship. Sweet lord I wasn't ready for that. The devastation and loss I witnessed hit me in the gut. I knew it had been bad with the Thargs but face to face with it I knew I'd made the right decision....just a bit late.
Freshly steeled I headed to straight to Teranis.
Ha!
My ass was nicely presented on a plate complete with side salad, and warm beer. I was rebuying faster than I could keep up with. But..BUT yes! I was getting quicker, closer. The Pulse Neutraliser figured out, the quiet, cold running done and eventually I got in to the Titan. The size of this thing...I don't know. I just didn't see how I was going to make a mark. The heat vents they said. The heat vents, the nanites. Next thing the core and I was smashing it's golden innards with everything I had. Blink, one, two, I'm blasting away. Missiles, caustics, kitchen sinks all thrown my way. I'm out.
WHOOOO!
WHOOOOO! YEAH!
MY DAYS YEAH!
Back in. And back in.
I limped back to FC Ithaca, mouth dryer than a five-hundred-degree desert and collapsed on my bunk. 14 hours straight. And back out.
You know what, we did it.
It's done.
But that was the weakest of eight.
So it's not done. We're not even close.
o7 Everyone.
CMDR Evoflash
Tau Ophiuchii